Everton Women have clamped down on away supporters outside of Arsenal’s ticketing allocation attending their game against the Gunners this coming Sunday, April 28.

Some Arsenal fans who bought tickets for the Women’s Super League match through the Everton website have today (Tuesday, April 23) received emails stating that their tickets have been cancelled. 

The emails to fans from Everton state: “As part of our ticketing checks ahead of this game, we have investigated whether there are potential away supporters who have purchased home tickets.”

“To do this, we have looked at accounts without any kind of previous purchase history with Everton Football Club and a non-local home address.

"With this information, we have identified that your account has fallen into a category which suggests that you are an away supporter. As a result of this, your tickets) have been cancelled and all monies have been refunded back to your payment card.”

For last season’s game between the two sides, Arsenal supporters purchased tickets through the Everton website and were encouraged by Arsenal to “purchase tickets in the standing section and congregate together within the stadium.” 

Walton Hall Park, home of Everton Women, has no specific home and away areas, with fans able to move around the ground at will during women’s fixtures.

Some Everton fans who do not live locally have also had tickets cancelled, raising obvious questions about the effectiveness of club’s system of ensuring that ‘home’ supporters can buy tickets.

Walton Hall Park has a capacity of 2,134, with Arsenal allocated 250 tickets for the WSL fixture. The Toffees have played one game at Goodison Park this season, drawing a crowd of 9,457 for the Merseyside Derby.

Arsenal Women have been a part of a number of record attendances this season at away games, including Leicester City, Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea. The Gunners brought 6,000 away fans to Stamford Bridge, selling out their away allocation.

One Arsenal fan told the Gooner Fanzine: “I kinda get it but wish they laid this policy out earlier as clubs haven't been reinforcing this in the women's game + I have travel and hotel all booked. Was going to be my birthday trip out as well.”

“It does make me question what Everton are doing to grow their base of matchgoing fans. Doesn't look like they've actually sold out Walton Hall this season so how much of this is ensuring their fans get tickets vs not wanting more Arsenal fans in the grounds. (Both of which is fine but again, just lay this out earlier!)”

“My other thought on this is that this is just poor planning on Everton's part. Again, very much their prerogative to enforce home + away ends, but it's a) not been a standard WSL clubs have followed and b) Arsenal (and other clubs') fans have been known to get tickets in the home ends when away allocations have been slow/small, so Everton could have seen this one coming from more than a mile and laid this out earlier than cracking down 5 days before the match”